Updates from Viet Nam Public Hearing 2016

Olivia Swaak – Goldman: “We need to make iit harder for these criminals to get away with it.”

Olivia Swaak – Goldman: “We currently have 10 other investigations in play, and we consider case proposal from all countries.”

Olivia Swaak – Goldman: “You need to create political will but also look v closely at the tangible steps that need to be taken. To be productive.”

Director General of the Congolese Wildlife Society, DRC.

“Entities exist, we need greater international dialogue to enable these entities.” Turner

“We’ve already got the solutions, we’ve just got to enhance and implement them better” Daniel Turner

“One of the problems is that Vietnam actually has ecocide in its penal code; this problematises the issue of the transnational wildlife trade as the prosecutions would then extend passed Vietnam’s national remit” Polly Higgins

“What I’m advocating [ecocide] is the criminalisation of the destruction of natural ecosystems” Polly Higgins

“The EU Action plan on wildlife trafficking is a nice blueprint that could be implemented in other regions of the world, where we’ve identified multiple stakeholders interested in tackling wildlife crime, and such a plan could be implemented in other regions.” Daniel Turner

“The Gulf States are a largely ‘uninvestigated’ region of the world as a transit hub for wildlife trafficking” Daniel Turner

“Corruption is a huge problem in Vietnam, particularly the police service and the judiciary. In recent years there’s been a huge increase in Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam; the lack of reliable law enforcement judiciary is a serious problem that can potentially be very motivating for the government, which wants to see economic growth continue” Gillian Dell

“The status of civil society in Vietnam is at best ambiguous.” Dell

“It looks like the government of Vietnam is motivated to make improvements and improve its reputation.”Dell

“We need to be cognisant of where cultural identity sits, and how cultural medicines are linked to identity” Parry-Jones

“There’s an enormous importance that needs to be attached to shaping the behavioural attitudes of the next generations.” Parry-Jones

“A multi-levelled response is needed, from the international community and across the supply chain.” Annette Hubschle

“If you look at Kruger National Park- 2.3 million people are situated around it; there were about 2,500 poaching incursions from neighbouring countries in 2015 alone. Frankly, I’m surprised that there aren’t more of those 2.3 million people involved in such poaching incursions”.

“We definitely need to address the transportation industry and cases of corruption found within the illegal trade and shipment of wildlife products in that industry” Annette Hubschle

Prof Sarath Kotogama on Sri Lanka’s position in criminal shipping routes from African continent to Asia.

“Intelligence building is critical; rather than simply arresting low-level criminals in the supply chain and locking them up, we need to exploit their knowledge of the networks they support to identify those networks” Rikkert Reijnen

“Importance of working with communities in countering poaching.” Rikkert Reijnen

“Rangers need politicians to step in and tackle the transnational roots of wildlife crime and poaching” Lawrence Munro

“Poaching is a socioeconomic issue inextricably linked to park borders; across a park fence lies a monetary opportunity for people from bordering countries [with South Africa], and therein lies the temptation” Lawrence Munro

“Militarisation is a problematic term in relation to rangers. It denotes exactly what they are not, and I would argue that what is really necessary to aid rangers is professionalisation” Lawrence Munro

“Viet Nam encouraging that organisations like Wildlife Justice Commission to exist, the international community needs to take action.” Lawrence Munro

“I’ve come to learn that poachers are desperate, and they see rhinos as an opportunity.” Lawrence Munro

“For sure the conflict is escalating. It’s why I came here. The Wildlife Justice Commission’s work gives those in the field a little hope.” Lawrence Munro

“The price rangers pay: Rangers live in the battlefield. Unlike war where you are pulled out periodically.”Lawrence Munro

“Munro shows a horrific video: Poachers had broken a female rhino’s back & she was fully conscious when her horn was hacked off.”Lawrence Munro

“There is no peace in the Parks, rangers battle with poachers. It’s taking its toll on rangers.” Lawrence Munro

Ghida Fakhry introduces Lawrence Munro from African Parks who’s joined us from his current role as Field Operations Manager in Malawi.

We’ll hear the views of expert participants to add context to the evidence we represented yesterday.

Day 1: Viet Nam Public Hearing 2016

SUMMARY: second part of the first day from the Viet Nam Public Hearing 2016

Today we received info from Viet Nam embassy that one person of interest in our investigation has just been arrested.

There has been about 3 arrests in the past few months.

The counsellor of the Vietnamese embassy asked us to cancel the Public Hearing.

Unfortunately,we did not hear back from the Vietnamese authorities after the delivery of the Map of Facts.

China were receptive to the case file (shared due to the transnational trade) & started a preliminary investigation.

Pieter Mohr , Senior Strategic Partner at WJC takes stage to talk about the diplomatic effort and national dialogue.

Tom Milliken from TRAFFIC on ETIS a pioneering elephant trade information system, largest data model of its type

“Vietnam has been the biggest driver of the rhino horn trade which, up until the mid 2000s, had decreased tremendously; during this pre-2000s era rhino horn populations were steadily on the rise.”

“We’ve seen historically that the threat of international sanctions on primary consumer countries including Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, led to these countries outlawing and criminalising the possession, trade and sale of illicit wildlife products.”

“In group-oriented societies such as those found in South-East Asia, the alpha males of such groups often seek to reaffirm social status. The possession of rare wildlife products such as rhino horn reinforces this social status, as these individuals will use those products to show strength, virility, and as party cures for hangovers.”

“Vietnamese-run criminal syndicates have been found to be the financiers of criminal gangs poaching rhino populations in South Africa, where the country’s legal rhino-hunting industry has been exploited as an avenue to obtain and smuggle rhino horns. During 2007-2011 Vietnamese nationals were found to be the leading nationality for registered sport-hunting permits in South Africa.”

“Self-medication is driving the trade in Vietnam nowadays.”

“Vietnam is a gift-giving culture, where rhino horns are given as a sign of ultimate respect to an elder or higher ranking individual; government officials have often been suspected to receive such gifts.”

Dr Gravendeel: “Strength of the visual evidence, we are assured of the validity of these’ products'”

Judge Fatoumatah Diarra, asked by Ghida Fakhry on issues of corruption and wildlife crime for governments in source countries.

“At 8 years old I went to Kruger National Park and learned the importance of wildlife, Africa’s natural heritage, and preserving that heritage.”

“One of the reasons many people visit Africa is due to its wide range of animals.”

“Last year I went to Vietnam to help educate the people on the poaching phenomenon. People didn’t know about rhinos or elephants; they only knew of their horns and tusks”

“I spoke at schools, universities, colleges, and when I spoke to them about elephants and rhinos they didn’t know that these animals were dying for ivory and rhino horns to be obtained.”

Judge Fatoumatah Diarra, former VP of the International Criminal Court, Accountability Panel member from Mali joins Ghida on stage.

“In Africa it’s necessary to educate people; Africa puts a lot of priority on people in terms of education and medical care, but there needs to also be an investment of energy into fighting wildlife crime, which will be difficult.”

“It’s important to fight wildlife crime in order to prevent the funding of jihadist groups”

Judge Motoo Noguchi on the need to fight culture of impunity in tackling wildlife crime compared to other crimes.

Judge Noguchi: “what is most lacking is enforcement based on the absence of political will.”

“there is a culture of impunity that needs to be addressed”

“wildlife crime is one of the most outstanding crimes in terms of illegal profits, corruption, and money laundering”

“Tackling wildlife crime at the higher levels is very much dependent on political will; the Wildlife Justice Commission is taking an innovative approach to encourage institutions to take action. Regardless of the painful outreach process involved, such political will must come from the government itself.”

Ghida Fakhry takes the stage as Director of Proceedings.

“We have provisions in international law and national legal systems to stop wildlife crime”